


The Return of the Dragons

by TargaryenPug



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass Arya, Badass Daenerys, Badass Oberyn, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Dany The Conqueror, Dornish badass, Dothraki, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fandom Bicycle, Future character tags to be added, Genuinly good characters, I'm writing for myself, If you read it leave a comment with constructive critisism if you have, M/M, Major Character Injury, Morally Ambiguous Character, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Puppy Love, Queen Daenerys, Swearing, The Author Regrets Nothing, You may find I have no love for Stannis, but I will try to make him justice, but the feedback does help, genunly bad characters, obvious author bias, please, the dornish are awesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-20 13:36:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12433968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TargaryenPug/pseuds/TargaryenPug
Summary: Sansa Stark remains still on the red keep, a prisoner in anything but name when The Dragon Queen arrives.Unable to do anything but adapt, she must work her way around the conqueror queen as she did with Cersei.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It's based on the show but I decided to include certain characters from the books that I really like. Also I created certain characters for the purpose of the story. I know GRRM would hate my guts for writing this but it felt right.

**Meaningful changes and events in this brave new timeline.**

 

**House Targaryen and Essos**

  1. Viserys Targaryen fathers a bastard four years before Daenerys is introduced to Drogo, The bastard is taken in by Illyrio when he takes the siblings and remains with Dany after Viserys demise
  2. Rhaego survives.
  3. Dany births 3 dragons in Khal Drogo's funeral pyre, however, one of the dragons is female thus the dragons are named; Drogon, Rhaegalla (in honor of her mother) and Viserion
  4. After taking Mereen instead if remaining there she continues to wage war against slavery in Volantis, Tyrosh, Qohor, and Myr before turning to Westeros, since then her posse has increased greatly.
  5. Ser Jorah Mormont confesses his early betrayal when Dany is about to take Volantis before she exiles her, he leaves on his own promising to not return until he is fit and worthy to serve his queen again
  6. Daenerys's Khalasar grows in size and power
  7. Daenerys Targaryen takes Kingslanding



**Kingslanding**

  1. The Forces of King Joffrey manage to repel Stannis Baratheon, as result, they take Princess Shireen as prisoner/ward of the crown to ensure Stannis remains put after that.
  2. Prince Oberyn wins his deathmatch against The Mountain, allowing Tyrion to be declared innocent so his life can be spared, however, he's not out of the woods yet, his marriage with Sansa is annulled and Tywin orders (in secret) Tyrion to take the black, Tyrion goes North but he decides not to take the Black and to play the Game of Thrones to spite his father.
  3. Prince Oberyn remains in the capital as a counselor to King Tommen and he brings his posse of Dornish Lords to the capital.
  4. Sansa Stark remains on Kingslanding after Joffrey's murder, after one failed attempt to run away on her own.
  5. Daenerys Targaryen takes Kingslanding



**The Riverlands**

  1. After the Red Wedding, Arya and The Hound decide to remain together and go to Braavos or Pentos to spend the rest of their days
  2. Arya and the Hound are ambushed in the night by a bandit group named "The Brave Companions" the new leader decides to send them to the capital as a gift to Queen Cersei.
  3. The Hound and Arya scape, Arya decides to go to Kingslanding and kill Cersei once for all, The Hound decides to leave to Essos.
  4. Just when both are close to their destinations, Daenerys Targaryen takes kings landing, Arya decides to rescue his sister and decides to go to Kingslanding anyways.
  5. At this point, the Hound has no choice but to follow her.



**Dragonstone**

  1. Stannis failed attempt to capture Kingslñanding results in his daughter taken a hostage, he also gets wounded during the battle and his health decreases.
  2. Stannis remains in Dragonstone to regain his strength and rebuild his army
  3. Ser Davos Seaworth journies on a mission to get Sheeren back, as Stannis health grows frailer. 



 


	2. Sansa

It came as a surprise to most people present there, until now she presented no real threat to the crown, to anyone, she was a curiosity in the far side of the world, mostly myth if anything...Dragons were extinct and so was House Targaryen. They had faded into dust...so when it turned out in their doors it took everyone by surprise, even Lord Tywin himself.

Because they had been attacked before, and because they had been able to repel the invading forces of none other than Stannis Baratheon (thought by many to be the best military commander in Westeros) they thought a little girl and some savages wouldn't have been able to breach.

 

But it all became true before their eyes, the young innocent little girl in exile became a conqueror in a fortnight, the city that didn't fell to the Baratheon forces fell to the girl in question, the myth of the Mother of Dragons became real in front of them.

and once the city fell it wouldn't take long before she took the Red Keep as well.

 

She marched into the throne room on horseback, followed by at least a dozen Dothraki warriors and a few unsullied foot soldiers of which somewhere carrying the red three-headed dragon banner that many in that room swore would never see splendor again, the very same one that was supposed to remain extinct along with the passages of history. A long forgotten dynasty had returned to frustrate any hope of them, creating their own.

 

Lord Tywin had no choice but to raise both hands, now surrounded by the invading forces, the goldcloaks and the whitecloaks kept their hands in their sword's hilt and spears pointing at the new conquerors, but it had been useless.

The conqueror's own knight, a man Sansa recognized even with the beard, also kept his hand on his own sword hilt, as did the three warriors that seemed to follow her everywhere, the ones that stood out among her screamers.

"We surrender" said the old lion with spite, two words Cersei Lannister never thought she would hear her father say, two words Sansa Stark would not imagine from Lord Tywin.

 

This human myth, that was a beautiful as she was monstrous, whose figure was larger than life itself, who's black cloak and armor made everyone forget that she was but a young girl, younger, in fact, than Sansa Stark, dismounted her horse and smiled like a young girl would usually smile.

 

"Good, that's very good, my lord, I dislike violence and I like to avoid it whenever possible"

she said _She's lying_ thought Sansa Stark, if it had been true she would not have achieved what she had, _conquerors are not pacifists_ she reminded herself, that much her Lord Father had told her multiple times in the past _Robert wasn't a pacifist and neither was Aegon_ , regardless she did not dare say that to her new captor.

Lord Tywin was escorted out of the throne room by two of the Silver Queen's footsoldiers, Cersei's arrest was less cooperative.

 

she struggled as she was taken away by two of her Dothraki screamers who dismounted and grabbed her arm to drag her out 

 

"You can't do this" she kept screaming "I am the queen! you will do as I say" she continued, they kept dragging her and she kept trying to reach the Iron Throne where her son was seated, while they were taking her away she kept screaming for the King's name "Tommen, Tommen, Tommen", The defeated king looked terrified.

 

The Silver Queen approached the throne in which he was seated "I take it you are King Tommen, are you not?"

 

"I am...your grace" said the king shivering, a mere boy, plump and young and way too gentle to be king or to find himself in such dire circumstance, worse yet, he was a former king. 

 

"I was expecting a man grown, if I have to be honest; Do not worry, my lord, no harm will come to you through me, I do not harm children" she said, _she is a child herself a few years older than I am and that's it,_ Sansa thought "You will be taken good care under me" she continued, the king was now a ward and a hostage to the dynasty his father had defeated to become king himself.

 

Finally, the Queen addressed Sansa

 

"And you, I beg your forgiveness, I bet that when you desired your captors gone, you did not expect yourself under a new one, alas I regret that it should be me filling such role" she said.

"However you will have to remain here until I decide what to do with you, my lady, I regret it very much but I just took back my throne and I don't wish to see it gone yet" she added.

 

"I remain a captive here regardless, your grace, it makes no difference to me who my captor is" Sansa said, sounding more miserable than she intended.

 

The queen's face expressed sudden sadness "Aye, my lady, I am myself acquainted with that same feeling my lady, I truly wish the circumstances were different, but I cannot run the risk, and I'm truly sorry for that, I hope you don't mind Lord Tommen sharing your quarters, if nothing else you have someone to share your sorrow with".

 

Sansa couldn't know if she asked this out of cruelty or strategy or what, she despised and feared Cersei when she was her captor, but she could not deny that she loved her children as much as her own Lady Mother loved her...and to keep them apart seemed just cruel in Sansa's eyes, Tommen was nice to her and Tommen did enjoy Sansa's company, but she remained a poor substitute for his mother.

 

She could not, however, tell that to the Silver Queen, who probably would kill him if the arrangements were different.

 

"Lord Tommen...shall make a decent companion...your grace"...

 

The silver queen then gave them a faint sad smile "Good, I will check your situation with special care, my lady but I do need to consult this with my council, you will be escorted to your rooms by Qorgho and  Ser Aerys Stone"...two men Sansa did not recognize "...they shall see that you are well guarded and protected until you are summoned again".

 

Sansa stared at her guards, one was a Dothraki rider, well muscled and he had a square jaw and a small beard that covered his chin but had no mustache, he was rather good looking but scary never the less, and the knight, the _bastard_ knight that joined him, not much older than Robb would be if he remained alive, he was also good looking but he had sharper features, thick eyebrows, and shoulder-length hair. 

 

"If you need anything from us you need only to say the word, my lady". said the knight.

"Thank you, Ser"

 

"We should all get some sleep now". said the Queen.

 

"Tomorrow will be a difficult day"

 

With that, Tommen and Sansa both followed the screamer and the knight to their new quarters, beautiful like the ones she had when her own Lord Father was Hand, wide enough, with its own small kitchen, privy and study... and yet with no way out.

 


	3. Dany, Sansa

The first thing she did, in her brand new rule, was to set the small council.

Prince Oberyn was named (as promised before) hand of the king, this, she felt, was right...the information he had given her from his time as Tommen's small council member, had proven vital, to a city that would have suffered more bloodshed than necessary when taking it had it not been for him.

 

Oberyn was a cunning man, a master of strategy and diplomacy, and a skillful warrior, he was the perfect hand...a man loyal and true and at the same time calculating, he was not only the perfect hand but her new closest friend.

Then, was Ser Barristan, the Lord Commander of her queensguard, a man loyal to her, a man who would always give her honest advise, a man who was honorable to a fault and honest, and loyal.

 

Since Magister Illyrio had rejected the position of Master of Coin, she gave the position to Tristayne Garland, previously Ser Tristayne Hill. to the position of Master of Laws, she appointed Garlan Tyrell, in an effort to regain House Tyrell as an ally. then to fulfill his role as master of Ships she appointed, Rhyollo Marhaad, a Tyroshi pirate turned captain for her, a man she would also name Lord of Stormsend as soon as she were to take it. she gave Archmaester Marwyn the title of Grand Maester she had promised in Qohor and she appointed Lord Varys as temporary master of spies until she could find either a man she could trust more for the position or that she could allow him as permanent master of whispers.

She also decided to expand her small council to include three masters of war; the master of the unsullied army (Greyworm of course), the master of the royal cavalry, a Dothraki she made lord named Morho and the master of the royal army, her paramour Daario Naharis, at least until Ser Jorah were to return and gain back her trust.

 

Those decisions had taken a good portion of Daenerys sleep, before doing anything else she needed that, good men that she could trust, at the petition of Prince Oberyn she also included his bastard daughter Lady Nym to the small council and as a possible candidate to future Master of Whispers.

 

Once she had established her council she decided to host her first court with them, she noted that Prince Oberyn's predecessor had moved the council meetings and tables to the tower of the hand, so she decided to move it back to the room of the small council. She would not lose the control she had just gained.

After she summoned her meeting she waited a while there in the head of the council table, Missandei had brought her some wine from Dorne, and remained present there, besides her were Aggo, Rakharo, and Jhogo. who stood in complete silence behind her, also there was also Mogo another Dothraki she had appointed to protect her son and her nephew, also present in the room.

 

"We are close friends, your grace, are we not?" asked Missandei, breaking the horrifying silence that had plagued the council room...

"We are". said Daenerys.

"I do not think I have many other friends beside you and maybe prince Oberyn", that much was true, she knew that Lord Commander Selmy loved her, but not as a friend, he had a fatherly love for her, she had thought Ser Jorah to be her friend, but he felt towards her, not as a friend and he had betrayed her; Greyworm was a loyal man, a man she loved dearly and trusted with her life, but not a friend, maybe Rakharo could be a friend at times, but she could never be sure...and Daario...he was something else entirely.

 

She trusted most of the men on her small council but she could call very few people friends.

"I was to ask you something then". said Missandei, shily.

"Go on then"

"Do you think it's wise to bring them here?"

 

She meant the children, she meant her son Prince Rhaego Targaryen, admittedly a boy of four; and her brother's bastard Maegor Waters, a boy of nine that she loved as if he were her own. 

 

"Rhaego will be king someday, if he is to be a good king, he should learn early how to rule, and if I do not manage to birth a second child, Maegor will be Rhaego's heir, if I do manage, he will be his adviser and so he too should learn it"

Rhaego had gone with her mother to every new place she conquered, she had begun to teach him strategy and next fall he was to get his first wooden sword and pony so he would learn to ride like a Dothraki and to use a sword like a knight. As was Maegor, each had their own instructor; but when she took Kingslanding she decided to also get a Maester to teach them both how to read and write.

 

Missandei gave her queen a faint smile.

 

"I love them both to death, as I love Drogon, Rhaegalla, and Viserion...as I once loved..." she did not want to say her brother's name, not in front of his son, not in front of Maegor...She had loved Viserys, part of her still did, part of her wanted back those nights when he would tell her stories of their older brother Rhaegar, and Aemon the Dragonknight, of Aegon the Conqueror and of King Aegon the unlikely...

 

"...But they will not be children forever and so they must learn"

 

"Of course, your grace"

 

The doors opened widely then, her Lord Hand was there with a huge grin on his face, in a brand new attire, red and orange with golden takes, and a bright pin on his overshirt, made of the purest silver.

 

"Your grace"

 

Dany could not help but to smile back at Prince Oberyn.

"Prince Oberyn! you arrived early, come, sit beside me"

"As it's a hand's duty, your grace"

 

he approached the table and first approached the silver-haired boys; Rhaego had his father's copper skin but his mother's lilac eyes and silver-platinum hair, and her bright wide smile...Maegor had inherited his father's hair but not his eyes, he had sea-green eyes, the left one had a tiny brown stripe inside it...Dany always thought his mother was brown eyed, he had, however, his father's pale skin.

 

Oberyn messed Maegor's hair with an air of affection, and then he lifted Rhaego's high above his head only to tickle him and return him to his seat, the boy laughed, both kids seemed to enjoy Prince Oberyn's company.

Then The Red Viper of Dorne moved next to the queen and took a seat.

 

"Wine, my lord?" asked Missandei.

"There is no need for it, why don't _you_ take a seat?"

Missandei did precisely that...

 

Soon after, arrived the rest of her small council, Garlan sat in opposition to Prince Oberyn, Tristayne and Rhoyllo both sat next to Garlan, Lady Nym sat beside her father and Marwyn sat beside her, Ser Barristan arrived not to later along with Moqorro and Lord Varys, Moqorro sat with Rhoyllo and Lord Varys sat with Marwyn, Ser Barristan remained standing right next to Daenerys, after Jhoggo and Aggo left the room and Rakharo stood on Daenerys left while Ser Barristan remained on the right...Mogo took both princes and sat on the opposite end of the table, with each of them on a leg.

 

At the moment, she had not summoned her war council so, Daario, Morho or Greyworm, she would meet them later.

 

"So, congratulations, my lords, we have just taken King's Landing, currently we hold the Crownlands, Dorne, and The Reach...very soon we shall make plans to take The Stormlands and perhaps The Riverlands, but I have not summoned you for that, and few of you shall remain here to discuss the matters of war" it meant, Oberyn, Rhoyllo and maybe Varys and-or Lady Nym. 

 

"It seems like our war of conquest is working well enough, that brings me to the first order of business, this very same castle and what to do with our prisoners from the siege"

 

"Your grace, what are you to do with Lord Tywin?" asked Garlan, "Execute him most likely, he betrayed the crown before, he organized the murder of my good-sister, niece and nephew, and the horrible massacre on the Riverlands"

 

"Your grace, I do not mean to be bold, but Lord Stark was your enemy, and your father's enemy, your grace, he betrayed his king and it is partially thanks to him that you and your brother went into exile"

"That may be, but Eddard Stark is dead, Lord Robb reveled against the Usurper's crown and he too is dead and regardless I will not tolerate such an affront against the laws of hospitality...House Frey shall be made an example of, as will Lord Tywin who also betrayed my family and who broke such a sacred rule".

 

"That reminds me of another paramount issue, your grace, your prisoners, the others I mean, with the exception of Lady Sansa should be put to death"

 

"My lord, I am aware of the crimes committed by House Lannister to your House too, rest assure Ser Loras is recovering just fine, Cersei Lannister too will be put to death, but not the children, Tommen Waters, Lady Shireen and Lady Sansa shall remain wards here in the castle, I need to lay war still to Lord Stannis and we have his daughter hostage as for Tommen Waters, he is merely a boy and we need still to deal with the rest of the Lannisters...and I will not start my reign slaughtering children I promise you that much"

 

"We should then give Lady Cersei and Lord Tywin a public trial"

 

"Sounds good enough, but make it a Mummer's trial, Ser Garlan, I will execute them still".

Garlan Tyrell nodded.

 

"That reminds me," said Tristayne.

 

"It appears we have inherited a broken crown, your grace, I'm afraid that we owe the Iron Bank of Braavos quite a significant debt"

"I Cannot suspend the wars, Ser Tristayne, I need to gain control of the whole kingdom, can't you delay him?".

 

"I am not entirely sure".

 

"Perhaps" interrupted her Lord Hand "there's an alternative, I think can do something, your grace, we should send a letter, so we can talk...in private, with a representative of the bank, perhaps"

"Yes, please do that, you and Ser Tristayne, see if you can diminish our debt or at least reach an agreement with them" 

"I think I can also help with that," said Marwyn.

"With...that trick you have?" asked Dany

"I know many ways, your grace, a man can easily change his mind with enough reasons to stimulate him"

Varys directed a untrusting look at Marwyn. Moqorro also stared blankly at Marwyn.

 

"If my lord hand and master of coin do not succeed then you have my blessing to do it...your way" answered Daenerys.

 

"Rhoyllo, of you I'm going to ask to facilitate sea trade, we need to build several shipyards between here and Dragonstone, if possible to attract merchant ships and if possible, build a fleet"

The Tyroshi only smiled "Your Grace"

 

"Is everything adjourned for today?" she needed still to talk with her war council.

"Not quite, your grace" this time, it was lord Varys who spoke.

"I'm afraid that we have some whispers from Dragonstone, your grace, that need to be...dealt with"

 

she stared at him for a while, she then looked at her small council

 

"My lords, I will beg you to leave me alone to speak with Lord Varys, only Ser Barristan and Rhakharo here"

"Your grace?" asked Oberyn.

 

"My lord hand, it's quite alright, fetch for lady Sansa and Tommen Waters, if you could please"

"What about Lady Shireen?"  
"Her too, Missandei, please take the boys to their quarters and take the rest of the day".

"Your Grace!" she said.

 

 

When they were left alone, she sat down again, she took another sip of wine and stared at Lord Varys, who remained in his place.

"So," she said "tell me, what happened"

* * *

 

Sansa was trying to play Cyvanesse with the former king, he did not seem too devastated to learn of his downfall, he had gone from king to bastard in a fortnight and he didn´t seem to care much.

Sansa wished she could have the same innocence.

 

The boy seemed happy enough with her and the bloody cat that continued to climb through the window, an impossible task for the most skilled of assassins.

 

The guards weren't so terrible either, she remembered Ser Boros and Ser Meryn...who looked proud of themselves every time Joffrey wanted to beat her; Ser Aerys was, despite his name, actually a decent man, prone to jokes and quite charming if she were to forget why he was there, and Qorgho was quite gentle with the kid.

 

Regardless, she feared for their lives, at any moment an order could arrive to tell Ser Aerys and Ser Qorgho to kill her and Tommen, it was certain that Cersei would have been put to death because of who she was and what she had done to the new queen's family and  leaving Tommen alive would have meant to put all of that back against her, and her lord father had also rebelled against the mad king, if this Dragon queen was truly who she said she was, she would have no reason not to put her and Tommen to the sword as she was going to put Lord Tywin and Cersei...Part of Sansa was glad that Lord Tyrion could scape Kingslanding, part of her wished the little lord to escape the Dragon's wrath.

 

Finally, the most dreaded thing happened, they heard a knock on the door, Ser Aerys turned around to see who was knocking, so he opened the door, nodded, and closed it again, he told Ser Qorgho something in Dothraki and then he approached Sansa and Tommen.

 

 "Her grace wishes to talk to you". said Ser Aerys they opened the gates to reveal a man Sansa did recognize, The Red Viper of Dorne, Prince Oberyn Martell, advisor to Tommen's council, and apparently also to the silver queen, he nodded at both of them, and began walking in the hallway.

"Come on, follow him" said Ser Aerys.

Sansa and Tommen walked behind Prince Oberyn, who was now wearing the same pin on his overshirt, her lord father had once worn in his, after him her lord husband and after him her good-father. She did not expect to see the thing in the Viper of Dorne "I have noticed you staring at it for a while now" said Oberyn, "All Kings and Queens have hands, my lady, her grace gave me this one, she gave me also a necklace of hands, but I remained with this thing only"

 

"Why?" she asked

"It's an ugly necklace, her grace understands"

"My father used to wear this pin, my lord"

"Aye, and then so did the Lannisters", she followed Prince Oberyn's steps and Tommen grabbed her hand during the whole travel.

 

finally they reached the Queen's chambers, they had been Robert's before, but now they were Daenerys's, she had gotten rid of the stag banners, and raised her own fearsome banners, the three-headed dragon, she left, however, the boar's head that Robert killed and Joffrey had added to the chambers decour after his father died.

 

The Queen was sitting in an read oak chair in front of an ebony table with golden markings.

 

Without her armor the queen looked quite short, she never looked any less beautiful and imperial, any less dragon-like, but she looked quite short, then Sansa noted another thing, there was another head that was set beside the boar's head...a stag with large antlers.

 

"Thank you, Prince Oberyn"

 

"Off to the war council," said the hand.

 

"I will be there as soon as I can". said Dany.

 

Ser Aerys and Ser Qorgho followed Oberyn outside, of course, the queen wasn't alone, Ser Barristan and a screamer were standing at the door.

 

"Rakharo won't hurt you, I promise". said Daenerys, reading Sansa's mind for the looks of it.

 

"And neither will I," she said finally.

 

Daenerys stood up, Sansa was much taller than she was, yet the Dragon Queen had become a renowned fighter in the narrow sea, "I just helt my first small council meeting here in Kingslanding, my lady...wine?" the queen offered

"No thank you, your grace"

"Suit yourself" The queen grabbed her challis and served herself, before taking a sip from said challis, she made a signal and her screamer guard, Rakharo grabbed Tommen and carried him far away in that very room, so he could not hear them, the boy did not struggle.

"I was advised to kill you, in fact after the meeting I had a chat with Lord Varys regarding a pending issue in Dragonstone, and he gave me the same advise as the council did, kill you and Tommen and Shireen and send someone to off Myrcella" Sansa gulped.

 

 

"I refused, of course, I do not kill children and I do not kill innocents either. And you are, so far both, things"

 

"I was wedded your grace, I believe children cannot wed"  
  


"You do not do yourself any favors Lady Sansa" she said, and she took a sip "Regardless, I do not plan to keep you here forever either, so, you are, so far, my ward" _Your hostage_ , thought Sansa "And you will remain my ward until I can find some lord, loyal and unwed to which I can marry you" 

 

"And what about Tommen"

 

"Well, he is a little different, he is a bastard, you see, and a rather picky one, I will not kill him, I will raise him until he comes of age, then I can either send him to the wall or to the citadel, so he can learn as a Maester"

 

 _Unless of course, he rebels, then you will kill him without a second thought,_ Sansa thought to herself.

 

"Regardless, I just wished to let you know. Do not worry, Lady Sansa, you are under my protection and no harm shall be done to you"

 

_I sincerely doubt it._

 

Sansa thought.

  

 


	4. Davos, Oberyn

Stannis remained on his bed, he had grown paler since it had been first noticeable.

Davos could tell, it had been only a fortnight since he had been spitting blood on his war table but already he was bedridden. Had Stannis not killed his Maester, he could have been able to tend his wounds, his sickness, but alas he did kill him, he had only the Red Woman now, she ran the meetings now, she would meet with Stannis in his chambers, he would whisper in her ear or yell at her and she would then meet the lords and knights that Stannis despised and would maybe make him king, his good-brother, the turncloak knights and the Pirate Lord, that Davos convinced him not to kill.

 

Lord Davos, as the King's hand, attended the meetings, he would suggest thing but the real power there was the red woman, Davos could not tell if she wanted this from the beginning or not.

Alas, her devotion to Stannis seemed real enough, though misguided and dangerous.

 

Neither expected the Dragon Queen to be as competent at war as she had proven to be, Tywin Lannister had been one thing, so had the Imp, but she was a girl that grew up in exile without a penny at her name and a single blood relative as mad as the king Stannis helped to overthrow, a girl barely grown.

 

"why wouldn't he kneel?" asked Stannis.

 

"Your grace, The Red Viper is not fond of your brother, and she is his Good-Sister...the ravens we sent, he refused"

"So Vipers do know loyalty, just not to the rightful..."

"Your Grace..."

 

Davo's plea was interrupted by Stanni's moan of pain...Davos tried to bite his tongue, he knew he had fallen out of grace with him, it was the first time he had actually seen him in quite a while, Melissandre had taunted him endless times that Stannis had wanted Davos head after he released Gendry, and he wanted his head even more after they lost the battle of the Merryweather against Lord Tywin, the latter he could understand.

_If I were King, I too would jail anyone responsible for losing my daughter._

 

"It doesn't matter now, I can't fight her like this and she has my daughter"

 

"Aye, your grace, she has, but she promised to treat her well"

"I **can't** trust the bloody Dragon Queen to not kill my daughter!"

 

_You were sent to kill **her** when she was an infant, maybe you are right._

 

"Gods know I would not...please, Ser Davos, bring her back"

 

Gods? 

 

Indeed he was losing it...

 

"Prince Oberyn said he would meet with me outside of Kingslanding, perhaps there is a chance still"

 

"Good"

 

Said Stannis, "Nothing else matters, Ser Davos, promise him whatever he wants, I need to see her once more"

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Dragonstone does hold a lot of Value to me, Greyworm, I was born there, it was the first stronghold of my ancestors, It was the Castle of Aegon the Conqueror before he was a conqueror, it was the castle of Daenys the dreamer and Aenar the Exile, My brother was Prince of Dragonstone, he grew up there... if my retelling is correct, my mother died there; by bringing me into this world...alas it is a sentimental value". She said.

 

Greyworm only nodded.

 

"And we do not yet have enough ships, we lost quite a lot of them by taking this castle" added Rhoyllo.

 

"That is also true, What I need right now, more than anything else is the Riverlands, it is my access to the west, to the north and to the Vale," She said.

 

"That is true," said Oberyn "However, I, and this is only me, I would first secure the Stormlands, by doing that our position becomes a bit more protected...and in an ideal scenario we would need the ships for the Riverlands too, The Stormlands we can take by foot"

 

Dany directed her view at Morho... "And our horses, my lord?"

 

"Khaleesi, I cannot read a map, I am learning still, regardless, Lord Viper is correct, it would make an easier target for your Khalazar and Daario's men"

 

"You disagree, Greyworm, my friend?"

 

"No, your grace, I do not, I do beg you however after we take Stormsend...we need to take Dragonstone secure, we do not want a viper at our back"

 

Prince Oberyn was offended by the way the remark had been added "It is a FANGLESS viper, Lord Greyworm, WE...have its fangs"

 

"We will discuss this further once we have the Stormlands, we will march in a fortnight and before we are in a position to take Dragonstone we shall not speak of Dragonstone," she said, Oberyn could see the famous Targaryen temper boiling from the young queen.

 _Good!_ He thought  _A sleeping Dragon is useless for war, the Dragon MUST be awakened._

 

 

"This meeting is adjourned" announced the Queen.

 

"Your grace, a word," Oberyn asked as the rest of the war council was leaving, he knew that in her absence he would have to lead the peace council, as was his duty as Lord Hand.

"My prince..."

 

"You did good, it is a solid plan, that is not what I wish to discuss with you, Your Grace"

 

 The silence staggered for a couple of seconds, there was intense steering for both of them, it quite obviously deserved some time on everyone's own.

They waited until the council room had been completely emptied.

 

"Alright, speak!" she said.

"There is a couple of issues to delicate to discuss with the council board, the first is regarding Lord Tywin Lannister"

"You want to kill him yourself" she knew, she was avenging Rhaegar, he was avenging Elia, he knew that she shared his hatred for houses Baratheon and Lannister...after all, that's how they bonded in the first place, however he also knew that two people sharing a common interest meant two people fighting for it.

"Yes".

"He betrayed my father when my brother died at the Trident, he used his friendship with my father to trick him, Aegon and Rhaenys were my nephew and niece"

"And they were mine too, Elia was my sister, your grace, I know you did not love your brother, the one you did meet, too much...and Prince Rhaegar is not even a memory to you, you cherish his legend, but you hold no love for a man you never met, but I loved my sister...I know you want to make a show of strength with Tywin, but I have planned to kill him for a long time, that's why I was here in Kingslanding in the first place, I got Ser Gregor to confess, but he died before he could point at Lord Tywin, Still I know it was him and I need my vengeance, your grace"

"Very well, my Prince, he's yours."

"Thank you, your grace...there is a second matter". A second matter that wasn't about him, he knew she trusted him, he knew she chose him because she trusted him (And because Doran had to remain in Dorne), he knew, however, there was a subject she hated to talk about, many felt it was hypocritical for anyone to mention this, it would be hypocritical for Ned Stark, and for Robert Baratheon and even more so for Oberyn himself, given the fact that Oberyn himself had several of his own, In Dorne they were celebrated, not rejected, In Dorne no one thought any less of them.

 

However in her case, it was different, after all, hers would affect forever the future of the crown forever, Prince Oberyn was not the king and he wouldn't even be considered on Dornish succession, and he was grateful for that as he also loved deeply his niece and nephews.

 

"Yes?" she asked.

 

"What is it?"

 

Oberyn hated to talk about this, more than anything else, he really did, but it was his duty as Hand of the queen and so he had to.

 

 

"We need to talk about your bastard".

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Maegor, Sandor, Aerys

-What if she doesn't like me?- Maegor asked.

-Then she doesn't like you and that's it-

Said the knight.

-You are not helping-

-It is not my job to, my job is to protect you; look, there are things not even Kings and Queens...and Princes can do, you can't make her like you- Said Ser Raymund...

 _Not a Prince, I'm a bastard_ thought Maegor, he had silk clothes, that would fit his princely cousin, Prince Rhaego; he was wearing tiny red velvet boots and a silk shirt with the three-headed dragon sewed on it, and a red and black cloak, he usually didn't dress this fancy (against his Aunt's wishes), but he wanted to impress somebody.

-Besides, you are too young to "Fall in love", you don't know what that is, and if you are lucky, you never will.-

-That is not useful advice, Ser-

-Trust me, you don't want to, it never ends well, your Aunt, the Queen, learned that the hard way; And she grew in exile because your uncle, Prince Rhaegar had the stupid Idea to fall in love, he a man married; then she fell in love and, if I must remind you, I did not end well for her either, -

-What about my father?-

-You think that it was love what your father had?- Said Ser Raymund with incredulity and a mocking tone, Maegor understood  _"You will know when you are older"_

-You never met him-

-And neither did you, little dragon-

 

It was true, even when he was alive, his father never took notice of him, somebody else had brought him to his father before he even arrived at Illyrio's manse; his Aunt did and his uncle Khal Drogo was to him more of a father than his own father had been, regardless, he refused to believe that King Viserys III Targaryen had never fallen in love, something he must have seen in his mother.

He had never met her, and neither had his aunt, or Uncle Drogo, or Uncle Illyrio, only his father knew, and he had taken that secret to his grave.

-What was she like?-

-You know I don't know that, little Dragon, I wasn't in your Aunt's service yet, I only know she was Lysene-

-Was she a princess?- 

Ser Raymund's face grew red when he asked that his Aunt said that King's Landing was a nest of vipers "They are all liars here", he remembered, but Ser Raymund was a terrible liar, every time he didn't want to talk about something, or he was lying he turned as red as an apple.

-Yes...- 

That was a lie, Maegor knew.

-Look, Little Dragon, just ask her, you look good in that little outfit of yours, you look Princely, and the cloak fits you nicely, if it's meant to happen, it will happen, if not, then it will not, either way, she's not in too much position to turn you down, you might be a bastard, but you don't..."

Maegor could predict what Ser Raymund was going to say  _Have Greyscale_ , he completed Ser Raymund in his mind  _You don't have Greyscale;_  sometimes Ser Raymund could be insensitive and out of touch.

He never called HIM bastard, but everyone else was apparently, a fair game, Ser Raymund was an honest man but at times, he was too honest, to blunt.

Lost in his thoughts, Maegor finally saw Shireen in the distance, looking at the sea from the edge of the gardens _Now is your chance Maegor_ , he thought, he took a deep breath and hoped she would like him back, people said he was a good-looking princeling and at that time, he hoped it was true.

 

Maegor approached Princess Shireen... _Lady_  Shireen, from a close enough distance and nervously, she was looking at the sea.

Maegor thought this fortunate, as the view favored romance and the keep could be at times be rather, trapping. He did not believe it to be a coincidence that it was the keep that his namesake built.

-Huhm...Hello, uhm, My lady...my name is...Ma...Maegor Waters- he somewhat managed to talk, the princess looked at him, he was getting as red as an apple, and he could swear the sweat made his silk clothes stick to him.

_I should have worn an armor, armor doesn't get sweaty and sticky on my clothes_

He thinks. 

 

He could feel Shireen's blue eyes upon him, she had been sad ever since the Lannister's had taken her hostage, he had learned, and when his Aunt had taken the city, she had also taken the Lannister's hostages as her own. Among them Sansa Stark and Shireen, Maegor had learned.

He wondered if she missed her father, he certainly missed his.

The guards his aunt had assigned to guard Shireen from escaping and to protect her were not far, and neither was Ser Raymund who was there to protect and guard him.

-Is this...your first time on Kingslanding?-

_That's a dumb question Maegor, you fool._

-No, when my father was master of ships to King...- She stopped herself, measuring her words.

-To Robert, I was with him too-

-Uhm...I thought I could maybe show you the crypts or the hidden passages...if you would like that-

-I would, but right now I'm watching ships-

Maegor sat down beside her, the plants of the gardens obstructed some of the views, but the view of the sea is still magnificent, it reminded him a little bit of Mereen and Braavos.

-There- Maegor pointed at a ship, his Aunt's ship, and his, it carried the three-headed dragon in its sail, not too long ago he had traveled in that exact same ship along with his Aunt and Cousin, the future king.

-That one goes to the free cities- He says.

-I can tell you everything about them-

And for a moment, Prince Maegor Waters, feels like Shireen Baratheon, doesn't hate him, maybe he has a chance, maybe he's like Florian, and The Dragon Knight and not like his beloved uncle Rhaegar, maybe he has a chance.

 

 

* * *

 

 -Would you shut up already!?- asked Sandor

 

-It's still a stupid bloody plan!- Said Arya, Sandor had no idea why he was following her still, in Kingslanding he could have just taken a ship to get out of there and out of the reach of the Mad King's Bloody daughter and the little wolf child, so why didn't he?

 -Do you want to rescue your sister or not?-

 -Yes-

-Well we can't just break in like we are the faith militant and take your sister, the Dragon Queen has her, she would roast us alive as soon as we were to even touch the ground of the castle-

 -It's still a stupid fucking plan-

 -YES! but is the only bloody plan we've got so we are doing that and that's it!- yelled the Hound.

 -We have to arrive to Kingslanding first- said Thoros, Sandor knew he should have stuffed his mouth as soon as they had captured him, they tied his hands and feet so he wouldn't run and his horse was connected by a rope, to Sandor's own horse, Stranger. so he wouldn't take space in Sandor's or Arya's horse

 -Shut up!- said, Arya.

 

Sandor couldn't help to smile _She's learning_ , He thought for a second.

 -I'm only saying that in our current condition it would take much longer than a fortnight to even reach the gates Kingslanding, and that is assuming they would let us through-

 

Sandor kicked slightly his horse, which in turn made Thoro's horse jump slightly, and it made Thoros bounce and fall again in the saddle, hurting his crotch and belly in the process.

Both Sandor and Arya chuckled a little bit when they heard Thoros express his riding pain.

 -Next time, we will stuff your mouth- threatened Arya.

 -With what exactly?- asked Thoros.

 -Anything, unless you shut the fuck up- added Sandor

 -Where would you take her anyways? Winterfell and Riverrun are both occupied, you can't go there, and the Eyrie, well also, you can't go there, nor can you go to Clegane's Keep, your brother is dead, but you are an outlaw-

 -So are you, so fucking what?- added Sandor

 -I am a red priest, I can always go to Assai or any city in the bay of dragons, or Braavos for that matter, I'm not traveling with a highborn lady...-

 

Arya stopped her horse as did Sandor, he got off his horse's back and got close to Thoros, he then punched Thoros in the face, returned to his horse and kicked it gently so the horses would begin to march again, Arya also kicked her horse gently to resume her riding.

Thoro's nose began to bleed, the Hound had hit him hard enough to maybe move its location, perhaps because of it after a while, Thoros stopped talking

 

-See? was that so bloody difficult?-

 

After a while of riding, and a blessing of Thoro's silence, Arya asked him.

 

-What are you going to do after we do this?-

 -Same as you, we are going to the free cities, it's the only place we can go-

 -You do realize that neither Sansa or I hold any value there, don't you?-

-You want to get rid of me that badly? Aye, I know, but I'm looking out for you, maybe you can look out for me too.-

 

Said Sandor, truth to be told, he was beginning to enjoy the little wolf’s company, and at times he thought she was beginning to enjoy his.

They were similar in a sense, both were lost dogs out there half broken and without a pack or a kennel.

Drifting from one place to another.

In a way, they completed each other in such a manner that they became each other’s, only friend.

Maybe he was beginning to get old and sentimental, he never took himself as a sentimental man but he had to accept that Arya, had become something to him and maybe he had become something to her.

_Maybe I won’t die alone._

Thoros though, Thoros he could not stand.

Thoros was a fucking cunt and he hoped to get rid of him soon.

 

-I want you to know something- said Arya, she wasn’t using her usual tone, of saltiness.

-What is it, child?- Child  Sandor realized that he hadn't called her bitch or Wolf-Bitch in a while, not out loud at least.

_I’m getting old_

 

-You...You are no longer on the list-

 

...the confession did surprise Sandor.

* * *

 

Aerys had to admit that he did not mind Kho Qhorgo that much, for the most part, he was silent, if only because he could not speak the common tongue (although he was learning), and both of them were Queensmen, through and through, but aside from loyalties they had very little in common.

Ser Qhorgo was the first Dothraki warrior ever to be knighted, in the history of ever.

And yet he did not present himself as a real knight, in word, deed or even look, he remained with the huge braid that hung from behind his shoulders and he wore pelts and golden Dothraki belts over his armor, and that was only because the queen had convinced him not to be barechested.

Still, he couldn’t ask him since they did not even share tongue.

Ser Aerys could speak Dothraki, but so far, Ser Qhorgo could not speak the common tongue.

 

He noticed that Lady Sansa was staring at him, Tommen was asleep on a chair holding a wooden lion on his right hand, it was not a toy, it was a piece for the war maps that he had stolen before the queen arrived to Kingslanding, and since he then was the king, nobody could have taken it from him, and he did not saw the point of telling him as much, If Tommen wanted it to be a Toy, it could be.

 

-May I ask you a question, Ser?- asked Sansa.

This took Ser Aerys a bit by surprise.

-You may ask as many questions as you wish, although I cannot promise I can answer all of them-

Sansa tried nervously to ask

-You are named “Aerys”, right? Like the Mad King…?-

He could sense where the young lady was going, and he could not help but to chuckle, Qhorgo gave him an annoyed look.

- ** _She made me a personal question_** \- he told the Dothraki knight, who only nodded and returned to his stoic and dutiful position.

-Aye, my lady, I’m named after him, although, I would not call him “The Mad King” in the presence of her grace-

-Yes, I understand that, Ser, I’m just curious, that is all, I wish to know…why-

Ser Aerys looked at Lady Stark in her pale blue eyes, she was indeed quite beautiful.

-My father was a stonemason in the Vale, he was a good man and loyal to the crown, I was born four years earlier to the Usurper’s war, my mother was a dornish woman from Yronwood, she worked taking care of the horses at Lemonwood, for house Dalt. So she and my father never married; she just returned to Dorne and my father only asked to raise me in her stead, I was indeed named after the Mad King, my father was always a man of the crown, a dragon man, so he thought in giving me his name to honor him, and I too grew to be a dragonman-

-And how did a bastard from a stonemason and a stablegirl became a knight-

-Ah, that’s a more interesting story; If you don’t mind hearing it-

-Not at all-

-Very well then, My father fought in the war, he was not (at the time) a lord or a knight, only a stone mason, he did not have an armor so he went to fight riding a mule and using a pickaxe, for he did not have a sword, and somehow, a man who had neither an armor, nor a horse or a sword, survived the first battle, Prince Rhaegar himself recognized my father and knighted him, he fought in every battle for Prince Rhaegar, at the end my father did have a Horse and an armor and a propper axe, and I went with him through all of it, I remained on the camp, of course, after the battle of the trident, my father went to Dorne, The Saltshore so he could take a ship and from then we went to the free cities, my father joined then the Golden Company and there the soldiers taught me how to fight and ride, eventually I inherited my father’s axe and armor and he knighted me when I was one and two, later my father and I deserted to join Queen Daenerys and she officiated the whole ordeal, she offered, in fact, to allow us to choose a noble name, so my father could add to his and I would be something other than “Stone”-

He felt the sudden gae of Sansa’s eyes on him

-I did not mean to bore you with details-

-It’s quite alright Ser, Tommen doesn’t make much conversation anyways, and Ser Qhorgo…I don’t think he would even if he could understand me-

-Aye, maybe he wouldn’t but he will understand you pretty soon, he’s a quick learner-

Originally he hadn’t understood the queen’s method of assigning a Dothraki warrior to a knight, in tiny units of two.

Then he understood, the Dothraki are formidable, great warriors, riders, and archers, but she needed them to learn westerosi culture, after all, it was her plan to integrate them into the seven kingdoms, perhaps as a royal cavalry force, the unsullied were going to disappear after a while, she could try to salvage them, by getting recluits and gathering training secrets so she could teach volunteers in her army, but the dothraki would remain long after she was gone, and thus, she thought, she could make them westerosi at least in essence.

Ser Aerys pictured Queen Nymeria and her Rhoynish men doing the same, if the maesters were correct, the Rhoynish used to be foreigners too, as did the andals before them.

-But he’s not much of a talker even by Dothraki standards-

Lady Sansa chuckled, it was nice to see her smile, he could not help himself to think that it ought to be the natural state of a girl her age, smiling and happy, nor she, or the queen or the smallfolk girl who polished his armor should know fear and dread and bitterness.

 

-Although, Prince Oberyn will want to talk to you often, he makes for great conversation-

-Does he?-

-Oh yes! I believe you actually met him before, my lady, didn’t you?-

-I did but not in person, I never had the chance to talk to him-

-He certainly makes better talk than her grace, do not get me wrong, her grace is charming and sweet and lately she’s been keen on picking up the harp, but she’s also Dothraki in parts and a conqueror in others, and as you will see when she talks to you; the Dothraki are rather blunt, Prince Oberyn, however, can get you trapped in a talk of hours, he’s a storyteller, that one-

-I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting The Lord Hand yet-

Aerys was silent for a few seconds.

 

A dark thought settled in his head, he had been instructed not to tell Lady Sansa she would talk further with Prince Oberyn.

-You did meet him briefly, didn’t you?- asked Ser Aerys.

-I had a quick word with him in a hallway-

His tone changed.

-Both the Lord Hand and The Queen wish to talk to you, Lady Sansa, of what exactly I don’t know, but I do know this, within a fortnight the Queen will execute Lady Cersei, in public, as for Lord Tywin, he shall be executed by Prince Oberyn inside the Red Keep, about a week from now. Lady Margaery has been spared and her marriage has been annulled, she’s to return to high garden, I do not know yet what she’s to do with you, Tommen and Princess Shireen-

Sansa’s fear grew even greater in her face, Aerys could see that in her eyes.

-If you wish…I could take you to the godswood to…to pray-.

Pray indeed.


	6. Tyrion

The last time he traveled north he traveled with the king, he traveled in a carriage, neither walking nor riding, he had in his bags enough gold to buy a small castle and, pay for fifty men in armor, should there be a need.

He traveled with books, and wine and once the wine ran out, he could stop in every inn in the way for ale, and wine and the finest food the inn could offer, he slept in soft beds and there were several men to protect him from anything and anyone, and he was clean, wearing silks and the finest tunics; wearing that proud roaring lion in his robes that connected him to Lann the Clever, and the kings of the rock prior to the Targaryen invasion of Westeros.

Now, he was trying to get there by foot, dressed in rags and furs he himself had to obtain, he hadn’t drinker a single drop of wine since he left Kingslanding, his beard had grown, he slept in the stables whenever the innkeepers were kind enough, and on the ground when they were not, he had dirt, all over his new clothes, he ate mostly rabbits and fish when he was lucky and moss when he was not, because he could no longer afford to eat fancy and he could not hunt, he was now traveling alone with no lions or crowned stags to walk beside him, nor did he have a single copper to buy anything anywhere; he looked almost like any other peasant, if only smaller and finer of hair.

But it could not be worse than death, at the orders of his own father.

The Red Viper had won the fight, he had defeated The Mountain, much to the distaste of Cersei and father, Tyrion could live, still, …he could not stay in Kingslanding.

–You will go north to take the Black— his father had said –Or I will have you strangled in your sleep—

Him, a dwarf, useless in the nights watch, Tyrion decided he would go north, but he would not take the Black.

The road was beginning to change the dirt for snow, and farms were scare between here and there.

Tyrion observed a cart that was behind him, pulled by a mule and driven by an old man, in the cart, there were a lot of logs

 –Are you lost, friend? — The old man asked

–Not quite yet! — said Tyrion, this caused the old man to laugh as much as he could laugh

–Where are you heading now? Traveler— asked the stranger

 –North! —Said Tyrion

The old man gave him a special kind of look reserved to complex questions unanswered, perhaps it was obvious he was going north, and most likely the old man was going north as well

  –Umber lands— that gave the old man some clarity, the north was wide…it could mean anything and anywhere from Winterfell to the Bear Islands or White Harbor.

–Do you have anywhere to spend the night tonight? It’s about to be nightfall— Asked the old man –I’ll sleep at the inn— lied Tyrion, he was going to sleep on a bush

–The Inn is a bit far from here, my home is not that far away, I can take you there…if you like— Tyrion liked the sound of that offer, a roof over his head, the old man seemed to have no idea of who he was –I admit I’d could use some bread— said Tyrion

 –Hop in—

Tyrion did not needed to be begged, he got on top of the logs and got as comfortable there as he could, granted, that wasn’t much, but his feet were sore and he did thanked for the free ride, meal and roof.

–Thank you— said Tyrion

 –There is nothing to be thanked— said the old man –I never did ask your name, did I?— he continued

–Hugor Hill— Tyrion said, it was obvious by his accent that he was a western man, he would never pass for a vale man, a dornishman or a storm lander, the old man was either a Northman or a river lander, though by his looks Tyrion could bet it was the first –Ah! Westermann! You are going a bit far from home! I gather you are either taking the black or have something important there, I’m Holdridge by the way—

The old man liked to talk, perhaps he was alone, perhaps his sons had already left him or he was a widower

–I’m off to try my luck—

–Strange place to do so— said the old man –we are here—.

It wasn’t much, it was only a little hut made out of stone and wood, his cell on the dungeons beneath the reed keep had been bigger, regardless it was lovely, simple, a couple of sheep were outside, just between the tiny house and the wood fence, there were, on the tiny lands surrounding the farm, bunches of timber and logs, and some dead rabbits, for the winter, Tyrion gathered.

–It’s not much, but it’s what we have, and it’s home— said the old man, he helped Tyrion to get of the wagon.

–Thank you— said Tyrion

 –No need to thank me, it’s a hard road and you could use a warm bed and a meal—.

Inside the Cabin there was a young girl, of four and then years _more or less like Sansa, my wife_ Tyrion thought, she was freckled and had red hair –Maggy, dear, we have a guest tonight, serve him some stew and give him some bread and salt— said the old man to the young girl

–Going, Papa— said the girl.

The stew wasn’t terrible, it was certainly better than anything Tyrion had eaten in months, it had mushrooms and rabbit, but it was rather plain…it was worse than anything he ate before his exile, the King was a good hunter and thus the cooks he brought with him would cook dear and boar, in Casterly Rock he ate mutton and lamb, as hand he ate fish and calf and roasted pigs glaced with honey and plum wine.

And when he was waiting for the trial, the bowl of brown was hearty and even tasty at times.

But the stew tasted like glory after eating raw mushrooms and badly cooked rabbit for weeks now –Thank you for this meal –

–Thank the gods, it’s been a good couple of days, almost as if the gods themselves smiled upon the Queen and thus, the kingdom…I haven’t been robbed in almost a month now and the harvest is doing fine—

How ignorant could he be to thank the Gods for Cersei? Who murdered her own husband, who almost had her own brother killed…perhaps he meant Margaery.

 –Perhaps, but I’ve heard rumors…that the queen is a fornicator, who cheated on her husband with her brother, surely that would upset the gods— Said Tyrion, out of spite

 –I had no idea the queen had a brother— said the old man…that was odd, it had been a long time since he gotten any news, Tyrion did not get ravens or letters at this stage and since he was moving it was difficult to pin any current events, he missed being hand

 –Oh, has Queen Margaery been crowned yet?— It seemed too soon for Tyrion, after all, Joffrey just died not that long ago

 –I’m afraid not, You have been traveling for a while now, right? You haven’t stayed long enough to hear the recent news?—

\--No— said Tyrion, indecisive

–Kingslanding was under siege, they took it rather quickly and now there’s someone else on the throne, The attack lasted two days and then the city yielded, Queen Daenerys sits on the throne now, gods grace her—

Tyrion’s mouth was left wide open, he then fell on the ground and the little girl rushed to pick him up.

His sister was no longer queen.


	7. The Viper and The Mountain, The Old Lion

_-ELIA MARTELL! YOU RAPED HER! YOU MURDERED HER! YOU KILLED HER CHILDREN! -_

_The mad Dornishman kept yelling as he approached the big knight._

_—ELIA MARTELL! YOU RAPED HER! YOU MURDERED HER! YOU KILLED HER CHILDREN! - he yelled again, louder this time and closer to Gregor’s fists._

_Ser Gregor Clegane suddenly grabbed Oberyn’s head with his gigantic hands, slammed him down and yelled_

_-ELIA MARTELL! I RAPED HER, I MURDERED HER, AND I SMASHED HIS BABE’S HEAD LIKE THIS!!!—_

_He was beginning to squeeze, tight and tighter…it looked as if everything had made a turn for the worse for The Red Viper of Dorne, The Mountain was going to win, he was going to squish the Dornish Prince's head like a ripe grape and his eyes were going to be shrunken in; until he suddenly fell aside, spewing blood, Oberyn pushed the gigantic man aside…Gregor moved his hands to his throat, trying to prevent it for bleeding, as it had very deep cuts._

_Oberyn was a little ruffed out, and his head hurt, but he was walking, he went through the other side of the stadium…grabbed his spear and walked, slowly, towards his opponent… tired, panting and talking between breaths he pointed his spear at Gregor and asked_

_—Who gave the order? —_

_The knight was still trying to cover the slash on his throat where the blood was coming from, but he looked angry enough to try to yank Oberyn’s head as he was trying, and almost succeeded before._

_—Tell me and I shall give you the mercy that you do not deserve! —_

_Gregor finally, without being able to talk, pointed his massive finger at the man in the hand’s seat, everyone at that moment began to gasp and noise could be heard from everyone in the audience._

_Oberyn pierced Ser Gregor’s skull with his spear and the knight unfolded his arms, his body now was wide open in the ground, bleeding and dead._

_Oberyn removed his dagger from the mountain’s throat and with that same dagger pointed at the Hand_

_—This isn’t over! My lord! A lion might roar, and claw and bite, but a Viper’s bite is always lethal and deemed to pass —_

* * *

 

Tywin Lannister had never lost; not a war, not a negotiation, not the game of thrones, there had never been an enemy he could not defeat, never an enemy he could not outsmart, never an enemy he would underestimate…not even the young wolf or Stannis with all their genius could have, never an enemy he could not destroy; There had never been an ally he could not convince, never an ally he could not play or swindle in his favor if he wanted, he never trusted them, but he always managed to get hold of them, always could handle them; even people like Littlefinger or Varys, Aerys and Robert, Olenna and Doran…though the last one turned up to be more skilled than he had let on.

Nay, there had never been anyone to truly oppose him…until now.

He had heard before of the Dragon Queen, but she was so far of every time he was in a council meeting…she was never the priority; He knew the Red Viper hated him, but Tywin never guessed that the Half-Mad dornish prince was as clever and cunning as his bedridden brother and twice as cruel.

He should have guessed the moment the viper pierced The Mountain’s throat when it looked like he was about to lose.

Daenerys Stormborn had come out of nowhere, by surprise…something neither Stannis nor his own forces back in the reign of her father had been able to do.

_Idiot! I should have seen this coming! I should have prepared, Robb, Stannis, Balon…That mad fucker burned Lannisport and I thought he was my biggest concern, Stannis never could breach the mudgate and I thought he was my biggest concern, Robb sent a letter…fuck the north, fuck Lannisport and fuck The Mudgate…I should have looked east._

A rat passed through his cell.

Never in one thousand years, he would have guessed, he would end on the dungeons…he guessed this had to be the same cell that Eddard Stark had spent his last days on, and for a brief moment, he wondered if the hand was cursed; because if it was, he had at least the satisfaction that The Mad Dornishman would also spend his last days here.

Captivity and defeat had made him superstitious.

Suddenly he saw a bright light, from the stairs, he heard the steps in the stairs of at least three men and the singing of a voice, The Viper…happy and singing, where he should be dead.

— ** _Tell me, Oh brothers if you heard this one before, a Viper tore down a mountain with a single bite from his fangs. The venom, the rage and the sun with his bite, the mountain crumbled right down. And the Red Viper says, Oh now he says! A lion stepped on its tail, well he’s biting his, Oh he is biting his, and The Lion shall roar for the last, beware the viper, beware his fangs, for small as he is, he tore a mountain down_** — he heard a cheerful singing, of course it would make a good song.

It certainly was easy on the tongue and lacked no melody.

As the three men continued the cheerful singing as they got closer to Tywin’s cage, a few verses about dragons and another one about The Hound.

Finally, Oberyn was in front of him, he was accompanied by a knight and who Tywin assumed was the master of dungeons.

—Lord Tywin! —exclaimed Oberyn with a wide smile on his face, almost as if he was happy to see an old friend.

— Prince Oberyn! I’m sorry, had I known I had a visit from the Hand the Queen I would have dressed more appropriately, I sadly have nothing to offer you, so I cannot give you any drink and no meal—

 

The Knight opened a sack he had been carrying and from it, he pulled out a magnificent cheese, a loaf of bread and some onions as well as a skin.

—You need not to worry, I came to offer you some drinks and food though I’m afraid this is easier to get mead in this castle than wine now, her grace doesn’t share my taste for Dornish Red, I do bring, however, some ale— said The Dornish Prince

His companion knight gave Tywin the cheese and the bread, which he was sad to admit, he devoured…this was likely his last meal, and he had not eaten well in the last four days…he was roaring with hunger and the way he ate each thing and swallowed down with each drink from the aleskin the dornishman gave him, gave it away.

While he was eating, Tywin Lannister forgot his lordly manners as easily as he forgot that it was his enemy, the one who was giving him such a gift.

—This is my personal guard, and former squire, Ser Damon Sand…by the way, and this is Togen, by the way, the undergaloer for the black cells…we had to dispose of Rugen—

—Charmed—said Tywin with his mouth stuffed with cheese and certain vitriol in his voice not capable even by his daughter.

—Togen if you might— The jailer bowed and went back, up the stairs, singing.

—Ser Damon, you too if you might—Said Oberyn with the politest of voices, and The Knight did as the Jailer had before him.

Oberyn sat in front of Tywin, still holding his torch to illuminate his face, he was smiling; ear to ear and there was a smug satisfaction in his face, the pin of the hand shined as the heat and light of the fire reflected on it, he was wearing new clothes too…he had a bright red cape over his new shining orange velvet overshirt with snakes, shining yellow silk undershirt with suns and black leather vest…he was wearing velvet black pants and bright new red riding boots.

—I assume you are here to strangle me—

—No, my lord, yours will be a public execution…you are accused of treason, by the way, against King Aerys…it’s funny, really, Her Grace wanted to do it as punishment for the red wedding…but she could not prove it…Ah, you are also accused for the murder of Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon…but I guess you already know that—

 _How noble of her_  Tywin thought with vitriol and sarcasm.

—I will execute you, my lord, personally, like the lords of the north do usually…not with these clothing, of course; regarding your kin…Ser Kevan will be sent to the watch, as will his son Ser Lancel; your son, The Kingslayer, will be executed, as due for his crimes, Myrcella will go on to marry my nephew regardless, as he has grown fond of her, and I’m here not to talk of them, but of your daughter and your grandson, Tommen Waters—

-Baratheon- tried to say Tywin in the tone that used to command respect and obedience.

—No, Waters, and you should be grateful for that, my lord, House Baratheon will not escape justice either, But I’m here to negotiate for her sake and that of your grandson—

Tywin gulped some of the ale and cleaned what had been stuck in his new stubble with the back of his hand.

—Cersei hasn’t yet committed crimes against the crown or against Dorne, but marring that swine of a king, she can yet be sent to the silent sisters or offered a small keep and a new husband, that is if you convince her to swear fealty and loyalty to her grace, and if she does, her Grace will take care of Tommen and give him a small castle to rule over one day, perhaps Darry, but if she doesn’t, he shall be sent to the watch when he gets of age  ** _IF_** , he comes of age, and she will be executed; Lannisport and Casterly Rock will be given to a Lord of Her Grace’s trust for him and his sons and daughters to hold from now; do not get me wrong, Lord Tywin, your house is gone, but it will be up to you if your house has some semblance of a legacy or none at all—

—And If I refuse?

—I think I told you already, my lord, but tell you what, plea with your daughter and I might try to convince Her Grace to let Ser Jaime join the watch—

The Nightwatch, it was worse than the Kingsguard, in the Kingsuard at least his name would be honoured, In the watch, he would freeze and die and his legacy with him…But Jaime was still his son

–Spare him, sent him to the watch, send my daughter to the sisters, I will take the blame for all their crimes, or at least the ones I can take the blame for, and spare them for those I cannot; but I must ask, why? Why spare her? Why spare Jaime? Why spare Tommen? —

The Viper smiled, but then his smile turned grim and sour and sad, Tywin could have sworn, even with the light as scare as it was in that moment, that he saw a single tear run down through Oberyn's cheek and stuck in his chin.

–Elia, Rhaenys, Aegon; my lord, women and children, Ser Jaime and you deserve death, for what you have done to Elia and Rhaenys and Aegon, for what you did in the war, and after, and though I have no way to prove it, I know it was you who ordered the red wedding to go through, and that, breaking guest right, commanding it, deserves punishment of the cruelest nature…But, for honour's sake, If I can avoid women and children to suffer their fates, I shall do so—

Oberyn stood up, he cleaned his clothing from dirt and then he said with the most cordial of small bows, “My Lord”.

Then he went, up the stairs again and as he climbed, he began to disappear from Tywin’s sight, as well as the light he carried with him.

 

 


	8. Barristan, Dany

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still as head of her Queensguard, it remained his duty to protect her. Though he had to admit he didn’t do it entirely out of duty. And even when it didn’t fell upon him to lay his life, he had to attend the council…How he despised those meetings; he didn’t trust Daario, the Queen’s paramour and captain of her army, he did not trust the bastard knight she had made master of coin, or the Tyrell man who gleefully accepted a position in the council after his house had already changed allegiance twice without counting the rebellion of Robert, he did not trust the Dothraki lord who was appointed as cavalry and dressed in silks rather than Dothraki leaders, he did not trust the fat pirate who commanded her ships or the two wizards that followed her everywhere and gained almost nothing for their loyalty, save for a cryptic prophecy…he specially did not trust the hand; a man known for killing with poison, a man who cheated on a trial by combat, who killed another lording of Dorne, who had more bastards than Robert, and who was probably the Queen’s second paramour if the rumors were to be believ

 

Barristan awoke early.

His usual custom was to wake earlier than the Queen, so when she wakes up; he’d already be in armor and with sword in hand, sharp and ready…But this time, Aggo and Rakharo had taken over his role, today it was the day he could rest…in theory.

Still as head of her Queensguard, it remained his duty to protect her. Though he had to admit he didn’t do it entirely out of duty. And even when it didn’t fell upon him to lay his life, he had to attend the council…How he despised those meetings; he didn’t trust Daario, the Queen’s paramour and captain of her army, he did not trust the bastard knight she had made master of coin, or the Tyrell man who gleefully accepted a position in the council after his house had already changed allegiance twice without counting the rebellion of Robert, he did not trust the Dothraki lord who was appointed as cavalry and dressed in silks rather than Dothraki leaders, he did not trust the fat pirate who commanded her ships or the two wizards that followed her everywhere and gained almost nothing for their loyalty, save for a cryptic prophecy…he specially did not trust the hand; a man known for killing with poison, a man who cheated on a trial by combat, who killed another lording of Dorne, who had more bastards than Robert, and who was probably the Queen’s second paramour if the rumors were to be believed.

Not a shred of honor in those men.

So, it fell to him, to protect his queen from this rotten poisonous but alas necessary influences…her duty was to rule, to win a war and his was to protect.

He swallowed a few boiled eggs whole and washed them down with ale before cleaning his mouth with his arm and leaving his room.

By surprise he found Rakharo outside of the room, he was by far the youngest of the Queen’s Bloodriders, not much older than the queen herself.

—Ser Barristan—said the young Dothraki in his limited common tongue, a few months ago he could not speak the common tongue at all, and in his time on the stinking monster of a city that was Kingslanding, at least he could learn something new, Ser Barristan admired and envied the Bloodrider for that, he was far too old to learn anything new.

—Rakharo! This is quite a surprise—

The young dothraki handed over a piece of parchment, sealed…it had the seal of a crowned stag inside of a flaming heart.

—Letter arrived, I have not opened it, here, take—

Ser Barristan looked baffled at the young man.

—Shouldn’t you give this to the Queen? or the Lord Hand? —

—Khaleesi is in meeting, Lord Viper is in meeting, only you not in meeting— Ser Barristan looked confused at the letter.

 

He carried of the rest of his day as usual, he was called for a war meeting; with the last strategy to take the Stormlands, after the queen declared that she would be crowned in the Sept of Baelor in a fortnight to create some officiality, to which the High Septon had agreed. She announced then that she would maintain Lady Sansa in her power until she could get a hold of the north (currently in the hands of House Bolton), and Lady Shireen until her father were to surrender,  she then announced that she would execute Lord Tywin but in a surprising notice; she also announced that she would spare Jaime Lannister and Lady Cersei if the first took the black and the second joined the silent sisters…Tommen Waters would remain a ward of the crown until he came of age, when he would given the option to take the black or swear his allegiance to House Targaryen, and Lady Myrcella would remain in her pact of marrying Prince Trystane, given that in time, Prince Trystane would become Lord of Casterly Rock and the Westerlands on behalf of Myrcella, who would be legitimized IF she swore allegiance to House Targaryen…elsewhere the choice of joining the faith would remain open.

 

When the meeting was adjourned, everyone left almost at the same time…everyone walking fast and whispering fast as well…everyone had a duty to perform, something to write and some crows to send, save for him.

Barristan approached the tired Queen, she removed for a second the crown she had been wearing the whole meeting and put it in the table, letting a soft sound of relief as she laid down the crown.

—Do you like it ser? It is one of several designs I had made, I’m not entirely sure on this one, but it is imposing…I need to have one chosen before the crowning—

It was a heavy thing, made of white gold, silver and iron; it had the shape of three dragons, all circling each other, with heavy wings to cover Daenerys’s ears, in front there was a stallion and surrounding the dragons there were tiny flames, that supposedly symbolized the Red God R’hollor…Barristan wasn’t sure that she really believed in that, but never the less, he knew that she knew that a bunch of her loyalists were followers of the red god; a good bunch of knights and lords as well as horse lords who had been newly converted before they joined her cause.

—Do you think the septon will like that? — Said Barristan pointing at the flames in the crown.

—I much doubt he would understand it, he’s not a clever man…and my house’s words are “Fire and Blood”, still I think it might be excessive—

_**Heavy was the crown.** _

—I received a raven, your grace, though I believe it was intended to you, the seal remains close. —

She changed the expression of her face, something that showed shock and confusion.

—You received, ser? —

—Not exactly, your grace, Ser Rakharo did…he gave the letter to me, like you see it…sealed—

—That is strange, usually Marwyn gets my ravens beforehand, I see him every morning to collect my letters in person, I haven’t seen this one—

—Perhaps someone got it before you and the Grand Maester—

—Perhaps! —

She saw the seal, she had just spent the entire morning planning war against the holders of that sigil, they had negotiated before, but even after that, the negotiations had been in somewhat shaky ground, it had been between Oberyn and Ser Davos, who appeared to be Stannis's hand, it had been entireley through third parties and no one was sure if any of the things discussed would come to fruiction.

She broke the seal and read the letter in silence. 

—So, this is interesting…Looks like I might be able to postpone the war, Lord Stannis conceded to the deal and he will surrender if I give him Lady Shireen…we will speak with his hand, Ser Davos Seaworth, to check for the conditions of his surrender, he will have to speak in person with me and my lord hand...he might be a fortnight or so on horseback, it says he is awaiting for our reply—.

It was interesting.

She then called for one of the doors to be opened, she called a young guard and she gave the command…

—Fetch me a quill, some paper and ink, and then fetch Grand Maester Marwyn…I will write a response—just as Ser Barristan was about to leave, Dany called him

—Ser Barristan, I need you to stay here with me, I need some guarantee that this will only be read by those I need—

Ser Barristan bowed –As you command—

 ** _…Dany,_** he thought.

—…Your Grace—.

* * *

 

Dany walked herself with certain nervousness around the map room, whispering to herself things in Valyrian, the Common Tongue and Dothraki that only halfway made sense.

What Varys had told her was true, it had been confirmed.

She now knew that Lord Stannis was dying, and under different circumstances it would be cause for slight celebration; the man had tried to kill her and Viserys as an infant when she was barely born. Under the orders of his brother, the usurper. With him gone, she had gained already the Stormlands, defeated an enemy and she could now focus on her front on the river lands and the Vale. However this all but confirmed two things; someone in her castle, probably within the council didn’t want her to know that.

And, Stannis had also agreed to a negotiation if she returned Shireen, which she was tempted to do, but if he were to recover and she no longer had the princess, then she would no longer have a bargain over Stannis.

Worse, if Stannis died someone could continue to fight against her in the name of crowning Shireen, perhaps a knight, and with a seasoned knight acting as regent the conflict would continue.

However the words in the letter seemed sincere; or mostly so…they weren’t even signed by Stannis himself, they were signed by Ser Davos Seaworth, who promised to go alone, on horseback, on a single horse, to meet with her.

_**Ser…Davos…Seaworth.** _

She remember Oberyn told her he had been negotiating with him for a while now, but she didn't quite remember the name...Seaworth wasn't any noble house she knew, then again there were many noble houses she didn't knew...Viserys always lost his interest quickly when he talked about any noble house other than theirs and their enemies, there were a lot of names, sigils and words she didn't quite knew.

Finally after some time of thinking about it, she wrote a response, agreeing to the meeting IF Davos went alone, he would be to reach Maidenpool, and he would be then escorted into Kingslanding by Ser Barristan and at least twenty good, leal men he could trust.

After signing the document and sealing it carefully, making sure her own seal protected the letter and making sure no one but her read it before sending the ravens, she sat down…she had a more, banal but not less important matter.

She ordered Ser Qhorgo and Ser Aerys to follow her, she went straight to the room where she was retaining Sansa Stark, she dismissed the guards she had assigned that day to guard the entrance and she posted Ser Aerys Morpard and Ser Qhorgo.

She opened the door as gently as possible, Sansa was sowing until she saw Dany come inside and then she stood up quickly and mad a small bow. Dany could see that Lady Sansa remained nervous, however she had been talking for her a while now, and each time they (or Oberyn and her) for that matter, had a conversation, she seemed less, afraid. Dany wondered for a second if it was her, if she inspired the fear her temporary ward or if it was something else, certainly she could not be that much worse than Cersei, or Joffrey.

From what she had heard, Prince Joffrey too deserved the title of Mad King.

—No need for that, My Lady—

She then sat down in a hurry, Dany was trying to appear tranquil so she grabbed a goblet and she served herself some of the wine that was at the center of the table.

—Ser Aerys said that you don’t quite like Wine, your grace—

—I don’t like Dornish wine, my lady, I find it too sweet for my taste, I have poor taste I must admit, I spent much of my life in exile and running and much other in campaigns, the first time I tried any wine it was Tyroshi, so my frame of reference is linked to that...But I had none when I lived in the free cities, or when I lived among the Dothraki, it was really only after I began my campaigns in Slaver's Bay...— She served herself some of the wine, she tried to mantain the regal appearence that she cultivated, but her frown gave her away a little, she prefered that sweet dothraki drink Drogo gave her at her wedding, or the spicy plumm wine of Volantis that she had gotten a taste for in her battles and campaigns. she grabbed some of the bread that was layed beside the wine and she dipped slightly the bread in the wine and then she stuffed her mouth with it. At that point, she had completeley lost the regal presence she cultivated every day.

Sansa relaxed a little, they had been talking now for a while; and while Lady Sansa still holded some nervousness and decorum around her, she also became looser and more relaxed, after all...the queen herself was making funy faces.

—Don’t get nervous, I…I came to talk, I seek your advice—

Sansa gave her a look of confusion and surprise.

—Advise? —

—Yes, you see, I am to be crowned in a 8 days, officially, this time, by the High Septon himself…I do not have yet a dress, and I was hoping you would help me…I do not know how to choose them and I’d like to pick one more akin to Westerosi fashion—

Sansa lost her fear, it was changed with incredulity and a sense that it was a prank.

—I’m sorry, your grace…I don’t quite…get it—

Dany gave Sansa a faint smile, she never had any friends growing up, much less any girl friends that she could talk girl things with, she had Viserys and sometimes, if she was lucky, she’d have a roof, or someone to take pity on them.

—I’m afraid I never had a septa to teach me this kinds of stuff, so far only Oberyn has dared to tell me one of my choices was ugly, for the dress I mean…—

—If you want, your grace, I could perhaps help you choose a nice dress, one that is pretty and remains in the heads of everyone for the rest of your reign…—

—I would love that…—

Both were smiling…kind of happy.

_**See? She is no longer afraid of me.** _

They stayed and talked a little longer, about other things, Sansa was at first timid…but then she took flight, she became more and more open to conversation, more vivid and radiant, gleeful and warm; she talked to Dany about Winterfell, songs, knights, lemon cakes and pretty dresses.

After a while, Dany realized she had been talking for a while now, she needed to attend other matters.

—Oh, my lady, before I go…you are free to walk anywhere you wish within the Castle, well…not the Council Room but just about everywhere else, and I have assigned Ser Aerys to your protection. He is outside of this room…—

Sansa’s face illuminated.

—Thank you, your grace—

—Dany, call me Dany— She left the room, calmer, and more optimistic about her meeting with Stannis’s hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for having pacience with me. Depression can be hard to deal with, adding the weight of College and...well, life in general...it can be pretty hard.
> 
> I appreciate your comments and any constructive critisism you might have; be honest...I will take it...but also, be polite.
> 
> Unlike "My Own Reasons I Will Have" and "Grey Cold Inferno" (By yours truly), I still don't quite know where this is going...But be patience, I am not avandoning any plot line.  
> Finally, if you did like it, recomend it to your friends, leave a comment and share it with someone. :) I'm not gaining anything from it but readers and I'd very much like it if more people read this or my other stuff.


End file.
